


I'm Not Your Baby Girl

by Smooty



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Angst, Drinking, Family Feels, Noodle is a grownup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-05 19:03:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19046488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smooty/pseuds/Smooty
Summary: Let's get one thing straight, Noodle wasn’t a kid anymore. As much as people liked to treat her as such, being the baby of the band, she hadn’t been a kid for a long, long time. Maybe not since El Manana, even.





	I'm Not Your Baby Girl

Let's get one thing straight, Noodle wasn’t a kid anymore. As much as people liked to treat her as such, with her being the baby of the band, she hadn’t been a kid for a long, long time. Maybe not since El Manana, even. 

Say what you want about Murdoc, but at least he treated her like an adult now. He didn’t try to lecture her--probably because he was too drunk to--or tell her right from wrong--probably because he didn’t care--like Russel did. And he didn’t try to give her sage advice on things he knew nothing about like 2D did unless he was really, really high. Because of that, Noodle found herself spending more time around him than the others now that they were all back together and Ace was gone. 

It was one of those days when they had nothing to practise and nothing else going on and everyone was stagnant. Noodle was laying on the sofa with her phone out, idly tapping at her screen. She didn’t know where the rest of the band was, but she could make a few guesses. It was still early, too early for the likes of 2D and Murdoc, and Russel was most likely out. The drummer tended to spend his mornings wandering around town, getting a coffee, and generally avoiding the snarkiness that was the rest of the band in the morning. Noodle would usually do the same, keeping to her bedroom, but her room was  _ so hot _ in the summer she’d relocated to the living room out of necessity. 

She heard the sound of someone bumbling about on the second floor and was surprised to see Murdoc, not 2D, ambling down the stairs. Noodle watched as he took breaks every few steps, an obvious sign of his terrible hangover. When he got to the bottom floor he made a quick stop in the kitchen for a glass of something strong, then came back through into the living room and folded himself into a chair. 

Good morning,” Noodle greeted with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you were supposed to be cutting back?”

Murdoc glanced to her, then back to his drink. “It’s watered down, get off my arse.” Noodle rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else. They sat in silence for a long while, the only sound coming from the ice in Murdoc’s glass and the app on Noodle’s phone. Eventually, Noodle got bored of her game and tossed the phone off into the couch cushions before leaning back with a sigh. 

"What crawled up your arse and died?” Murdoc asked, his voice rough with sleep and alcohol. Noodle looked over at him and shrugged half-heartedly with a small pout. 

“Last night,” she started, “ Russel was giving me the whole ‘responsibility’ lecture when I wanted to go out to the club. 2D said he’d go with me but you know he started that whole ‘healthy lifestyle’ thing last week and now he refuses to go anywhere that might ‘pollute him’.” She was no stranger to her families idiosyncracies, but as she got older they began to wear on her more and more. “I’m 28! I can go out to the club on my own without a  _ chaperone _ .”

Murdoc didn’t reply and Noodle had to look over at him to make sure he wasn’t asleep. Instead, she caught him looking right at her, a pensive expression on his face that was unfamiliar to her. 

“What?”

He shrugged. “Nothin’. Jus’ think you’re being a bit of a brat right now, to be totally honest.” Noodle felt her blood boil.  _ Murdoc _ thought  _ she _ was being a brat? Last week he’d thrown an honest-to-God tantrum over 2D losing his favourite lighter. Who did he think he was?

“That’s rich, coming from you, Murdoc,” she snapped, sitting up and getting ready to leave the room. She didn’t need this, she thought Murdoc saw her as an adult, unlike the others. 

“I’m jus’ saying, love. No need to get your knickers in a twist,” he answered, his gaze still oddly calm despite Noodle’s simmering anger. “And I think I’d know best, takes one to know one and all that.”

His oddly calm demeanour put a damper on her temper, and she sat back again. “But I’m 28!”

Murdoc sipped the last of his drink then set the glass aside. “And you’re still our little girl. Trust me Noodle, D Russ and I know how bad the world can be and we jus’ wanna keep you safe.”

“Fuck that!” Murdoc’s eyes went wide as Noodle exploded. “I’ve been through Hell, I’ve been shot at,  _ you _ replaced me with that bucket of bolts! This is bullshit!” She kept going, listing all the horrible things that had happened to her, one after the other.

Murdoc let her run herself down, not interrupting her ranting even once. Instead, he sat and watched as she slowly wound down, all the anger and sadness leaving her body as she put those hurts into words. When Noodle finally stopped to take a breath, scrubbing a hand over her face, he sighed. 

“You ever think that’s why those idiots are overprotective?” Murdoc asked, looking right at her. He was surprisingly sober. “You’re the heart of Gorillaz, Noods, we couldn’t do this without you.”

She scoffed, suddenly uncomfortable with how real he was being. “You managed for Plastic Beach."

Murdoc laughed darkly, spinning his ice around in his glass. “Would you really call that managing? It’s a good album, but what about the rest of that mess?”

He had a good point, she hated to admit it. After El Manana the band had gone to complete shit. 2D still had nightmares, and so did she. 

“Fine. But I’m still an adult and they don’t treat me like it! You treat me like one, so why can’t they?” She glared at him, daring him to keep going. Noodle  _ knew _ she was in the right here and she’d just been looking for someone to back her up. 

“I’ve always treated you jus’ like I treat anyone else, Noodle, and that’s not always a good thing.” Murdoc stared straight at her like he was trying to show her he was being deadly serious. “I got you nearly killed. I let you play in bars when you were barely 10. I nearly got you killed  _ again _ by El Mierda.”

Noodle deflated slightly and looked away, unable to meet his honest stare any longer. “Noodle, I’m fun Uncle Murdy who should never be trusted to watch the kids. 2D’s not much better but his heart’s in the right place. And Russel  _ adores you _ .”

“You’ve always been strong-willed and pig-headed, jus’ like Uncle Murdoc. But take it from my kiddo, hold on to the people who care about you.”

She still felt angry at being denied her adulthood, but she also felt like Murdoc was right. Noodle might be an assassin and a super soldier, as well as an adult, but were Russel and 2D  _ really _ being that unreasonable? They only acted that way because they loved her, and she didn’t want to think about what that meant in terms of Murdoc’s feelings about her. 

“You’re right, at least a bit. I still think they need to back off…” 

“Then ask them too, or jus’ do whatever you want. You’re your own girl, go crazy,” Murdoc said as he got up and moved back into the kitchen--probably for another drink. Noodle followed him this time, trailing behind just like she’d done when she first arrived at Kong. 

“You never try to tell me what to do… why?” she finally asked as Murdoc finished pouring his drink. This one was definitely not watered down and she made a mental note to tell the others. 

Murdoc had been edging closer and closer to the doorway, obviously having filled his quota if “real talks” for the day. He didn’t make it though, and he knew Noodle wouldn’t let it drop, so he paused. 

“Because all of my advice is shit, kid. You shouldn’t be doin’ anything I do or listenin’ to anythin’ I say. But Russel and 2D are good people, much better than I am. You should hear them out from time to time.” He then turned around again and walked out the door before she could say anything. What did she want to say? Thanks? Fuck off?

Instead, she took a seat at the kitchen table, head in her hands. She was still frustrated and angry but her talk with Murdoc had left her kind of… sad? She knew Murdoc cared in his own way, and that their relationship was beyond damaged. It showed in their every interaction but especially this morning. Murdoc  _ was _ supposed to be the fun one, why had he left her feeling like she was in the wrong the whole time?

Noodle stayed at the table for a while, eventually getting up to put the kettle on, then to get some toast. Russel wandered into the kitchen sometime after she’d just finished her meagre breakfast, already dressed for the day. He greeted her and she nodded back, still a little testy from their spat last night. But now instead of wanting to rekindle the argument, she felt the need to apologize. 

“Russel?” The drummer looked up from his coffee and newspaper at her. Noodle felt a sliver of shame run through her. 

“I’m… sorry, for getting upset last night,” she said, taking care not to rush any of her words. “I was… being childish.”

Russel looked surprised, almost like he hadn’t expected her to apologize at all. Maybe she was more like Murdoc than she thought. “Oh, s’alright baby-girl. I was probably bein’ a little paranoid anyway.”

She had the urge to hug him, so she did, getting up and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “You were right, I should be more careful. But I am an adult too now, Russel,” she said quietly, returning to her seat. 

Russel nodded. “You’re right, you’re right. I’ll try to back off a little bit, I know you can take care of yourself.” She smiled and nodded again, unsurprised that Russel accepted her apology so easily. The drummer was a simple man, it didn’t take jumping through hoops to keep their relationship solid. “We just can’t lose you again, OK?”

“I understand Russ. I can't lose you guys either. I’m gonna apologize to 2D too when he gets up too.”

“Well you might have to wait a while, he was up all night again fiddling with his keyboards,” Russel warned. 2D had been doing stuff like that a lot recently, staying out late, changing his diet on the daily, buying entire new wardrobes every few weeks. She should have taken that into account when she was demanding to go out to the club last night. Just because she could be in that atmosphere and not over-indulge, didn’t mean that 2D could do that same. 

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it, you know how he gets with people.” Noodle did know, had seen it happen a million times with Murdoc and the singer. She didn’t want to continue the legacy or yelling at their most fragile bandmate. 

“Maybe we could have a game night or something tonight?” she asked, desperate to make things right. Russel looked up and smiled the same smile she remembered from her childhood. 

“Sounds good, we can run out for snacks later.” Noodle nodded enthusiastically and got up with a big stretch. 

“I’m going to go see if 2D is awake,” she said. Russel waved a hand and went back to his paper, pausing when he saw she was still there. “And… say thanks to Murdoc for me, if you see him?”

Russel looked confused, probably because in all there past together, Murdoc had seldom done anything that deserved thanking. Still, he agreed with a shrug, not asking questions. 

“Sure, I’ll pass the message along.” Noodle thanked him and left the kitchen, making her way up the creaky stairs as quietly as possible. If the singer was still sleeping, she didn’t want to wake him up. As she rounded the corner she saw 2D’s room, door wide open with soft music emanating from the doorway. Not asleep then. 

“Hey D,” she said, standing at the threshold. “I didn’t think you’d be awake.”

2D was on his bed, one of his keyboards laid out in front of him covered in sheet music and notes. He looked up when she spoke, his black eyes surrounded by equally dark circles. Noodle took his hesitant smile as permission to enter his room, so she sat on the edge of the bed away from the papers. 

“Good morning Noodle,” 2D greeted in his usual, twangy accent. He sounded tired but cheerful. She wondered if he’d slept at all.

“Good morning 2D, what are you working on?” He beamed and shuffled all the papers together before placing them to the side and getting ready at the keyboard. The melody he produced was jaunty and bright. He didn’t seem to have any lyrics to it, and the song was over quite quickly but it left her enchanted. “That was lovely!”

“Thanks,” he said, looking down at his hands. “I’ve been workin’ on it a lot recently…”

There was a mild tension in the air. Noodle knew it was time. “I’m sorry for shouting last night, I was being a brat. I had a talk with Murdoc and--” 2D looked skeptical. “No, really, he gave me some very good advice. I understand why you and Russel are so protective of me. I just want to be able to live my life the way I want.”

Stu seemed to stop completely for a few seconds as he processed her apology. “I forgive you love. And I’ll try not to nag anymore. But advice from Murdoc? That’s not right.”

Noodle laughed lightly. “No, not usually. This morning was quite strange.” 2D nodded like he was agreeing with her. 

“Yeah, yeah it was.” He scratched the back of his head while yawning. Noodle noticed his posture drooping and decided she’d kept him long enough. 

“You should get some sleep,” she said quietly, carefully moving his keyboard to the floor and the sheet music to the desk. “I will wake you later for lunch.”

2D yawned, watching her move around his room. “Thank Noods, I dunno what I’d do without you.”

Noodle stopped for a second, remembering that Russel and Murdoc had basically said the same thing. She hadn’t realized they felt that way because she’d been too angry, too hurt after all the years to notice. Had there been other things she was missing? That was something Noodle didn’t want to think about. 

2D tucked himself between the sheets and lay back, giving her a smile. “G’nigh’ Noodle. Or Good morning.”

“Good night, 2D. Sleep well.” She left and shut the door behind her. Well, that had gone well too. It almost felt good to have apologized and finally figured out what their deal was. Noodle went back down the stairs to the living room where her phone was still laying on the sofa. Russel must have still been in the kitchen, and Murdoc was god-knows-where, so she laid back in her spot and reopened her game. Hopefully, Russel would be ready to go to the store soon and they could go shopping. A pretty good plan, she thought, especially after yesterday. 


End file.
